Matches to Make After UFC Fight Night 24

It was not the spectacular, jaw-dropping coming-out party for which
many had hoped, but Phil Davis
nevertheless toppled respected Brazilian Antonio
Rogerio Nogueira by unanimous decision in the UFC Fight
Night 24 main event on Saturday at the KeyArena in Seattle.

The three-round affair shed light on how far “Mr. Wonderful” has
come and how far he has left to go. A fantastic wrestler and
superior athlete, he failed to secure a takedown against Nogueira
in the first round, and though he threw kicks liberally and without
reservation, the 26-year-old Harrisburg, Pa., native remains a work
in progress on the feet. That said, the fight also showcased Davis’
ability and willingness to adapt on the fly, as he switched from a
double- to a single-leg takedown attack in rounds two and three,
finding success in doing so.

Comparisons to UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones are
inevitable but unfair. Davis is not yet what Jones has become. Nine
fights into his professional career, he has plenty of loose ends
left to tie up before he can be considered a legitimate
championship contender at 205 pounds. Perhaps now he can proceed
with less astronomical expectations hanging above him.

A closer look at four matches we want to see after UFC Fight Night
24 “Nogueira vs. Davis” follows:

Phil Davis
vs. Forrest
Griffin: His encounter with Nogueira may have exposed
holes in his game, but Davis deserves to go as far as his
considerable abilities will take him. Some foresee a blockbuster
2012 title bout with Jones, who has harnessed his otherworldly
skills with frightening speed. First, Davis needs more seasoning
against top-flight competition, and Griffin could provide another
stern litmus test for the 2008 NCAA wrestling champion. Griffin
returned from shoulder surgery in February to best former
middleweight king Rich
Franklin at UFC 126. “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 1 winner
held the 205-pound belt for nearly six months in 2008 and has
proven his considerable worth in victories over Quinton
“Rampage” Jackson and Mauricio
“Shogun” Rua. His size, experience and well-rounded skill set
would provide a serious challenge for the still-green Davis.

Anthony
Johnson file photo

Johnson seeks the divisional elite.

Anthony
Johnson vs. Carlos
Condit: Seemingly always on the cusp of stardom, Johnson
left former welterweight title contender Dan Hardy in
his wake in the UFC Fight Night 24 co-headliner. The lopsided win
sets up the gifted but inconsistent Georgian for another run at the
divisional elite. Johnson failed in his first such bid, as he
succumbed to a rear-naked choke from Josh
Koscheck at UFC 106 in November and then missed more than a
year with a knee injury. Condit, who is openly campaigning for a
fight at UFC
132 in July, needs a viable dance partner. A matchup with the
unbeaten Dong Hyun
Kim has been rumored, but if that fight should fail to
materialize, Johnson would certainly fit the bill.

Amir
Sadollah vs. Duane
Ludwig: They were originally slated to collide at UFC
Fight Night 24, but an injury forced Ludwig to withdraw and left
Sadollah to face DaMarques
Johnson. Sadollah had little trouble dispatching “The Ultimate
Fighter” Season 9 finalist inside two rounds, as he wore down
Johnson with his relentless standup attack and struck him into
submission on the ground with a series of brutal elbows.

The Sadollah-Ludwig showdown made sense when it was first booked,
and it makes even more sense now. A feared striker with a wealth of
experience, Ludwig can test Sadollah where the Brooklyn, N.Y.,
native is at his best. For all the grief he takes for his quirky
personality, Sadollah has developed into a quality competitor at
170 pounds, despite losses to Kim and two-time NCAA wrestling
champion Johny
Hendricks. Plus, few would argue that Sadollah’s work ethic is
second to none.

Chan Sung
Jung vs. Tiequan
Zhang: Jung raised more than a few eyebrows and lifted
his stock considerably in The Emerald City, as he submitted former
WEC title contender Leonard
Garcia and became the first man ever to finish a UFC fight with
a twister. The South Korean has enjoyed developed a loyal following
stateside for his willingness to throw caution to the wind, a
willingness that was best exemplified in his first encounter with
Garcia 11 months ago. That ended in a controversial split decision
defeat; their rematch was far less competitive. Zhang, meanwhile,
needed just 48 seconds to dispatch Wand Fight Team representative
Jason
Reinhardt in his promotional debut at UFC 127 in February, as
he snatched a violent guillotine choke at the Acer Arena in Sydney,
Australia. In his last 13 appearances, the 32-year-old Chinese
import has sandwiched 12 first-round finishes around a unanimous
decision defeat to Duke Roufus protégé Daniel
Downes. If it is validation he seeks, Zhang could find it in
Jung.

Reader comments are active below. Chime in with an opinion or
thought by signing in with your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Yahoo!
account.